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New Way to Be Human

 
Album Review: New Way to Be Human

  • Artist: Switchfoot
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: March 23, 1999
  • Total Time: 37:42
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Gospel

Review

Introspective, probing lyrics define Switchfoot's sophomore effort, New Way to Be Human, which Charlie Peacock produced for his re: think label. In the 1990s, Peacock was best known for working with Christian rock and pop/rock artists -- he co-wrote Amy Grant's "Every Heartbeat" and had produced Sarah Masen, Michelle Tumes, and other Christian singers. Switchfoot's lyrics also deal with spiritual concerns, but there's nothing preachy or exclusionary about this CD. Alternative pop/rock songs like "Incomplete," "Under the Floor" and "Let That Be Enough" (all of which were written or co-written by Switchfoot singer/guitarist Jonathan Foreman) deal with trying to find meaning and purpose in life -- the lyrics really stem from Foreman's introspection and self-examination, not a desire to force any particular religion down the listener's throat. One of the best songs on the album is "Company Car," which questions materialism and is almost Hindu-ish in its outlook. Not perfect but intelligent and generally appealing, New Way to Be Human is an album that fans of 1990s' alternative rock can appreciate, whatever their religious views may be. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
New Way to Be Human (Lyrics) Douglas Kaine McKelvey, Jon Foreman Switchfoot (3:38)
Incomplete (Lyrics) Tim Foreman, Jon Foreman Switchfoot (4:14)
Sooner or Later (Soren's Song) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (3:59)
Company Car (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (3:13)
Let That Be Enough (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (2:39)
Something More (Augustine's Confession) Douglas Kaine McKelvey, Jon Foreman Switchfoot (4:00)
Only Hope (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (4:13)
Amy's Song (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (4:30)
I Turn Everything Over (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (3:21)
Under the Floor (Lyrics) Jon Foreman Switchfoot (3:55)

Credits

Charlie Peacock (Producer)
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Wikipedia: New Way to Be Human
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New Way to Be Human
Studio album by Switchfoot
Released March 23, 1999
Recorded re:think Studio
Genre Alternative rock
Rock/Pop
Length 37:37
Label re:think Records
Producer Charlie Peacock
Professional reviews
Switchfoot chronology
The Legend of Chin
(1997)
New Way to Be Human
(1999)
Learning to Breathe
(2000)

New Way to Be Human is the second studio album by the band Switchfoot. It was released on March 23, 1999 under independent label re:think Records, which was distributed by Sparrow Records. The best-known songs from this album are the title track "New Way to Be Human", "Company Car", and "Only Hope," which was included in the movie A Walk To Remember and is an international favorite.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "New Way to Be Human" – 3:36
  2. "Incomplete" – 4:13
  3. "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" – 3:58
  4. "Company Car" – 3:13
  5. "Let That Be Enough" – 2:38
  6. "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" – 4:00
  7. "Only Hope" – 4:13
  8. "Amy's Song" – 4:30
  9. "I Turn Everything Over" – 3:21
  10. "Under the Floor" – 3:55

Book

A book of the same name has also been written by producer Charlie Peacock, who produced this album. The intro to the book is written by Jon Foreman, Switchfoot's lead singer and songwriter.

Credits

Band

  • Jonathan Foreman - Lead vocals, Guitar, Pianos, Trumpet
  • Chad Butler - Drums, Percussion
  • Tim Foreman - Bass, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians

  • Tony Miracle - Analog Synths
  • David Davidson - Violin
  • Bob Mason - Cello
  • Sam Levine - Bass Clarinet, Flutes
  • Mike Haynes - Trumpet
  • Mark Douthit - Tenor Sax
  • Charlie Peacock - Orchestrations and tasty bits

Lyrical philosophy

Both "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)", and "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" are based upon the works of philosophers. "Something More" is based upon a series of books known as Confessions, that were written by Augustine of Hippo[2]. About "Sooner or Later" Jon Foreman has said that "Sooner or later we all have to deal with the frightening reality that there is much that is wrong in the world... This is Soren's song... These are his thoughts as best as I understand them,"[3] alluding to the philosophy of Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.

Trivia

  • When asked if "Amy's Song" was based upon a real person, Jon Foreman said that it wasn't, and that the band viewed Amy as the antithesis of the "Concrete Girl" from their previous album[4].
  • A newer recording of the song "Sooner or Later" was featured on Elektra: The Album[1].
  • The song "Only Hope" was featured in the movie A Walk to Remember, along with the songs "You", "Dare You to Move", "Learning to Breathe".
  • The single "Let That Be Enough" was featured in the made-for-tv film "Model Behavior".

Music videos

References

  1. ^ Kirk, Trevor (June 1999). "Switchfoot - New Way To Be Human". Cross Rhythms (51). http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Switchfoot/New_Way_To_Be_Human/403/. 
  2. ^ Beauty and the Beat - published June 19, 2003 (retrieved September 16, 2006)
  3. ^ 24 Voices - (retrieved September 16, 2006)
  4. ^ Jon Foreman's comment on the song - (retrieved September 16, 2006)

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "New Way to Be Human" Read more